The rules that decide what shows up on a lunch tray are written far from any cafeteria. In this episode, hosts Mark Hulsebus and Lori Stevermer sit down with Dr. Ashley Johnson, director of food policy for America’s pork producers, to unpack how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans steer everything from SNAP and WIC to K-12 school meals, dietitian recommendations, and even international nutrition standards.

We talk about the biggest shift she sees coming: protein moving back to the center of the plate. That change has real downstream impact, especially for kids, teens, and older adults who often fall short on quality protein. We dig into why pork is positioned as an affordable, versatile, nutrient-dense option, and how institutional purchasing could expand as the guidance filters into upcoming USDA school meal rules.

Then we get into the fine print. “Ultra-processed foods” is a powerful phrase with no single definition, and classification systems tend to group pork sausage with chips and cookies by focusing on processing instead of nutrition. We also explore the risk of a patchwork of state and local policies, including ingredient bans and procurement restrictions, and why food safety, GRAS ingredients, and credible nutrition research matter when policy gets political.

If you care about evidence-based nutrition, school meal reform, and how food policy shapes real diets, this conversation connects the dots. Subscribe, share this with someone who cares about school nutrition, and leave us a review with your take: should school breakfast always include a real protein?

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

Prices are whipsawing, headlines scream chaos, and yet the U.S. pork complex feels…steady. We sit down with Joe Kerns to unpack this uncommon calm and why discipline—not luck—may be the quiet engine behind today’s positive forward curve. From high interest rates and soaring barn costs to the hard lesson of not overwhelming shackle space, we trace how a painful 2023 forced better habits that are now paying off.

We dig into the protein stack. Beef is pinned by biology and a slow rebuild, keeping ground prices elevated for years ahead. Poultry can add birds quickly but still faces operational limits. That leaves pork with a strategic window to win share through innovation: smarter fabrication, retailer-friendly ground blends, and cuts sized for air fryers, slow cookers, and weeknight routines. Kerns shares what he learned at a carcass innovation session—from fiber and fat to flavor systems—and why tenderloin quietly delivers best-in-basket value without sacrificing taste.

Exports and crops get equal airtime. A softer dollar helps competitiveness, Europe has hamstrung itself, and Brazil remains a tantalizing wildcard with real financing constraints. On the row crop side, China’s absence for soybeans looms large, pointing toward heavy carryout and the need to re-center soybean meal in livestock rations as a domestic demand anchor. We challenge the hype around renewable diesel, biodiesel, and a fast E15 jump, outlining why infrastructure and economics still don’t pencil. Then we level-set risks: ASF as the border-closing shock, aging consumers who eat less meat, and growth across Africa that demands fit-for-market products.

This conversation is a playbook for staying disciplined while capturing upside: hedge inputs and hogs, align cuts with how people actually cook, and use beef’s price era to reset pork’s value story without overbuilding. If you found these insights useful, follow the show, share it with a producer or buyer who’d value the data behind the decisions, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find us. Your hosts for Feedstuffs Pork Nation are Mark Hulsebus of Alltech and Feedstuffs' Sarah Muirhead.

The complex challenges facing U.S. pork producers take center stage as Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council, joins Feedstuffs Pork Nation to tackle the industry's most pressing issues head-on.

Humphreys delivers a comprehensive assessment of what has been termed "Farm Bill 1.0," celebrating wins like $70 million for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and vital tax provision extensions while acknowledging a critical omission – a solution to California's Proposition 12. This legislation creates what Humphreys describes as a "monumental threat" by allowing states to regulate production practices beyond their borders. "California is not just dictating to Iowa, they're dictating to our friends and colleagues up in Canada and in Mexico," he explains, highlighting the international ramifications often overlooked in policy discussions.

The conversation shifts to nutrition policy as Humphreys addresses concerns about potential classifications of pork products as "ultra-processed" foods under health initiatives. "You cannot put sausage or pork chops in those same categories," he asserts, positioning U.S. pork as a nutrient-dense protein essential to balanced diets. Trade opportunities and challenges receive equal attention, with Humphreys noting that 25-30% of U.S. pork is exported, creating markets for cuts less favored domestically while ensuring Americans have access to preferred products like bacon. Vietnam and parts of Southeast Asia, Central, and South America represent key target markets where affordable protein is in high demand.

Perhaps most pressing is the labor crisis affecting rural America, where some agricultural counties face unemployment rates below 2.5%. Despite offering jobs in communities with excellent schools and quality of life, producers struggle to find workers. Humphreys makes a compelling case for agricultural workforce solutions while closing with a passionate call for industry engagement: "Agriculture is an outstanding group of individuals, but we could certainly use everyone's voice in DC." His message is clear – the future of American pork production depends on producers speaking up and making their voices heard where policy decisions are made.

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is hosted by Mark Hulsebus of Alltech and Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs.